Michael Irvin “almost threw up” when he heard Gregg Williams

Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin was sickened when he listened to the audio of former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams urging his players to hurt players on the 49ers.

Irvin said he understands that coaches fire up their players by talking about physical football. But when Williams urged his players to go after 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree’s ACL, he crossed a line that Irvin believes is unforgivable.

“Since you were a baby you’ve understood never take out a man’s knees and on this tape he’s talking about taking out an ACL,” Irvin said on NFL Network. “I almost threw up when I heard it. I pulled back any covers that I may have had for a coach. If he is out of the league forever, it would be only the right thing to do.”

Williams is currently serving an indefinite suspension, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will consider allowing Williams back into the league after a year. Irvin said he doesn’t think Goodell should permit Williams coach again.

Irvin is right, of course. Get fired up and tell your team to go hit somebody. But directing it towards certain body parts that can destroy careers? Even if he gets re-instated, he’d be pretty toxic for a team to hire. Can you imagine what will be said once a Williams-led defense goes out and someone gets injured even though Williams may have cleaned up his act? The questions and talk will be there. And teams don’t want to deal with that kind of PR.

The Crabtree/ACL thing is what stood out to me in the recording as well. Hearing the stuff about concussions, going for Gore’s head, etc., made me just as sick as the next guy, but for some reason I was just dumbfounded when I heard the ACL comment.

Why is it that if i happened to say/do/facilitate the exact same thing about the jackass I work with, I would probably end up in jail and all we are talking about with this scum-bag is how long he will be suspended for?

Saints all got off easy for lying cheaters with a tainted championship… They should have lost at least 3 first round picks & possibly 3 years of franchise tags, one for each year we have confirmation they intentionally cheated & lied. Williams should be banned for life.

IMHO, the tape is grand jury material for an idictment on conspiracy to cause bodily injury.

I am for sure not an attorney. Having acknowledged that …. this tape makes me wonder if any NO player and any NO coach/staff person who heard that Williams speech and then did not take positive action to stop it or report it are not also by legal definition part of an illegal conspiracy.

Just imagine if a speech like that was delivered by a deputy chief to members of a law enforcement group just before they went out on the street in a tough crowd control effort. If the police officers did not reject that direction and did not promptly report that direction to a citizens oversight board, then I’m thinking all those police officers would face some sort of criminal indictment.

Furthermore, an attorney defending the interest of someone in the crowd who got his head cracked would have a six-$-figure field day with a video of the pre-crowd-control effort speech.

[I wonder if the Vikings organization has legal standing to take civil legal action because Favre was really hampered by all those hits … maybe the cumulative effect of all those late hits is why Brett elected to toss that ball across the field rather than run an easy 8 yards into field goal range. ]

Again, I’m not an attorney, but I don’t understand why this tape evidence would not expose the participants and the coaches who knew to some genre of criminal liability.

Shucks ….. what a mess. I’d much rather have the Saints be a very well respected contender for years to come. It hurts the sport. It’s way, way, way out of line. I’m happy the Commissioner has taken a no-nonsense attitude towards it.

I know I’m splitting hairs here….as pretty much everything about Gregg Willians is “throw up” inducing. But going after an ACL of a player at his former position is worse in his mind than “Kill the head” of anyone else?

Here we go…. Jagoff kool-aid drinkers like sfgiantsfan can now call out HOF WR Michael Irvin for lack of football knowledge and being a sissy. Because that’s what people are who believe that there is a difference between hard hitting and malicious intent to injure. Let the feeding frenzy begin.

Nice commentary from a guy who played at the most corrupt D-1 football program in history, where they have rap stars on the sidelines handing out cash for injuries. Same school that produced the captain of that bounty-hunting defense. You know its got to be bad if the UM’ers can see it.

Hey Mike, I almost threw up when I saw your face the first time. Come up with a better line. Speaking of lines … Am I the only who thinks players are taking the “I can’t believe it farce”‘ a little too far?

Irvin had his HOF career cut short because of injury, he would never wish that on another player. To think a team specifically was targeting areas that could damage a career long term would of course upset him.

Because in football knocking players out of the game is an inherent part of things. Michael Irvin is sickened by Gregg Williams’ verbiage – even though the reams of video don’t show hits that fulfill the requirements to be called dirty?

I don’t think I would go that far. There is no doubt what the Saints did was atrocious but people deserve a second chance. Atleast with Williams you would think he would go down that path again. That’s my opinion, it doesn’t make me right. People have that opinion and I’m okay with it.

Irvin played the game so has credibility on the topic, moreso than any of you idiots in the comments who have not. Futhermore , I feel like throwing up everytime one you numbskulls tries to be witty on your responses.

Players and coaches have been going after injuries for years. Injuries are broadcast throughout the league and given a certain level of severity…by rule. Then these very writers and pundits get upset when a coach fudges with an injury report not disclosing a concussion or knee injury. Then these same pundits think a player should be removed from the game and tested every time they get hit in the head. And these same pundits are shocked and disgusted that brutal men in a brutal game target a weakness so willingly exposed by the league.

So in the NFL when the coach orders his player to break the rules and injure people the coach actually gets the blame. When a solder follows orders and breaks the rules and torture’s people the commanders that gave the order are forgiven and the peon troops get the blame….

The NFL did the right thing in punishing the leaders. I can’t wait to see the punishment to the players that took part in trying to end other players careers.

Class act Aints. Without bounties, pep Talks or verbiage. There’s a 16 game schedule of PRO players coming loping for paybacks and ACLS. Hows it feel there’s a target on YOUR backs ( heads, knees, shoulders, arms, ankles) now? Ah, the tables have turned! It’s called “paybacks” boys. Along with the mentality of take them out before they can get me. You messed on your pants boys and you STINK BIG TIME. THIS WILL GO THROUGH THE RANK N FILE.

The Giants need to be investigated as well. They flat out said they tried to give Kyle Williams a concussion. The league should come down just as hard on those players who said that, and find out if someone on their coaching staff directed them to do it.

2. Current penalties will not be reduced. Even if Goodell was inclined before, he knows he can’t now that this is public or it will cost the league a few extra millions in all the injury lawsuits they are currently fighting and he will lose any credibility he ever had.

3. Judging from the drastic reduction in the number of Saints fans posting that everyone is an overreacting pansy – it would seem that at least some now finally get how serious and how wrong these guys actually were.

Wait, isn’t Michael Irvin the guy that stabbed a teammate in the neck with a pair of scissors in the locker room? So is he differentiating between injuring a fellow player on the field vs. in your own locker room? Quite honestly, I can only hope you posted Michael Irvin’s opinion on the subject as a tongue-in-cheek stab (pun intended) at humor.

i live in denver and alfred williams is on the radio here in the afternoons and says that this is pretty much normal/regular talk from defensive coaches. in fact i’ve heard several guys on the radio here and the bay area that have said the same thing

Some young ladd named Tyrone will have a wonderful time with old Man Boobs… Greg better hope that Tyrone isn’t one of Crabtree’s “homies”….. If he is, Tyrone will have a good old time with Man Boobs, and finding out just how “fired up” he can get!

Greg Williams… Because of you, i will be buying stock in Vaseline! I’m sure your going to invest in the product heavily in the months to come.. Should help out my portfolio!

This confirms what I suspected: Even though players in today’s NFL are mercenary (Hey, Mike, remember your boy Alvin Harper, running for the FA money?), they’re not down with causing devastating injuries, for pay. All of which makes Jonathan Vilma and his ilk all the more douchey of dbags.

I have no proof but I wonder what he said about javhid best before their game. He got a concussion that game and this freak show of a defensive coordinator probably had guys gunning for his head. Injuries will always happen but this is just too much…

sasquash20 says:
Apr 5, 2012 8:00 PM
@joesuhunka do you play football or another physical sport? No you don’t so your point is retarded. Its football you fairies! Grow a set
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You see, “sasquash20” is, himself, a professional athlete of some “physical sport”. And has a set. And his points are not retarded.

zn0rseman says:
Apr 5, 2012 8:26 PM
The Giants need to be investigated as well. They flat out said they tried to give Kyle Williams a concussion. The league should come down just as hard on those players who said that, and find out if someone on their coaching staff directed them to do it.
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What about Carlos Rogers admitting today that the 49ers were trying to knock Eli out of the NFC Title Game?
What about DeAngelo Hall saying he was going to aim for Romo’s broken ribs.

Ban Greg Williams for life and be done with it.
That video was a disgrace, and he should be ashamed of himself. Hope New Orleans don’t get any mercy from their appeal today either.
They deserve everything coming to them, and can’t wait to see what the players’ get next.

i completly agree. my friend and i have argued over and over about if it was a “bounty” he says no i say yes. i played football for 11 years and no coach of mine ever told me to go out there and specificly go after a knee, ankel, or go for a head shot. i was always told to go out there and “lay a hit on them and wrap them up”. i hear all the players saying i play for the love of the sport i dont play for money, and after this im starting to smell a little foul oder it has a hint of “BS”. i dont think the saints should have that 2009 lombardi trophy, and i think that the punishment is slightly light considering the serious repercussions that could have happened like a career ending injury. i feel all the coach`s and front office people that knew what was going on an decided to look the other way simply because of greed or fear of losing there job for being a whistle “blower” ” I AM IN NO WAY CALLING ANY PERSON A WHISTLE BLOWER, JUST SAYIN.”

jonny42671 says:
Apr 5, 2012 7:28 PM
Com on, according to Who Dat nation , that’s just football. Every team does it. I suppose Peyton and Bree’s knew nothing about this??? What a joke! They are all pathetic

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I agree completely. These corny, bandwagon a#$ fake morality types (especially Irvin, Darren Woodson and the other cokeheads and borderline dirty hits and other crap that went on in Dallas).

Just a bunch of people on the morality bandwagon. Dr. Heat was just stupid enough to say it within ear shot of a few Benedict Arnolds.
I’ll defend him. Because he’s a scapegoat and the league wants to put all this on him, because they know a bunch of lawsuits on post-concussion syndrome and how that caused suicides (like Dave Duerson’s and Andre Waters) are coming

Irvin is a blow hard. They had receiver meetings at strip clubs blew more cocaine up their noses than half of the clubs in America, and just wants to be heard. I can’t stand it when someone who “didn’t put a crack pipe in his car” starts throwing stones. Get some accountability first Michael and then open that space on the bottom of your face called a mouth. I can’t believe he has a radio show.

Everyone remembers Lawrence Taylor’s hit on Theismann, right? He didn’t rejoice when he saw that Theismann couldn’t get up, he screamed for medical assistance. Gregg Williams’ attitude is a far cry from that of guys like LT. It’s really, really sad, and kind of sick.

Williams should be banned for life! they need a full blown investigation and any other coach that did this crap needs to be banned as well. the players are not some extras in a bruce willis movie. this situation is just as bad as steroids is to baseball.

grantnjones says:
Apr 5, 2012 7:23 PM
Don’t agree with Greg Williams at all but hearing Michael “Coke Head” Irvins take on the matter is a joke.

Enlighten me on how a former player that is hall of fame caliber is wrong on this? First, when a player is told to take an ACL out and getting paid?… that is not right. Second, did you play or were you the fat kid on the end of the bench? Third, have you ever made a mistake? SMH @grantnjones

When Irvin was an active player, I couldn’t stand him. When he got slammed in the playoffs against Carolina, I applauded, sad to say.
He did say something in that interview today that did make me respect him, though…..he said he believes in second chances, and “God knows, I have had mine.”
Greg William has pretty much crossed the boundary of deserving a second chance, though. Far be it from me to want to deprive a man and his family of his income, but to directly encourage head shots, clipping ankles, and taking out ACL’s goes beyond what most people would consider the normal rah-rah-rah aspect, I would think.
He has put himself in an indefensible position, and a multi-year ban, if not lifetime, is forthcoming.

So would i be in trouble if i offered $10k to anyone who clubbed Williams at the knee caps… hoping to cripple him for life? I would think so. Or maybe not. But the point is, thats essentially what he’s been telling his players to do to other athletes. How could any sane person think thats okay? I say 5 year prison sentence. Oh, and i hope he gets raped to hell in there.

“Rarson” what a great comment. LT might be one of the only football players to do more blow than Irvin, but when he injured Theisman all he could think about was getting medical attention to Theisman as quick as possible. Call me gullible, but I don’t think coaches have been telling their team to try and end the career of a certain player as a means of motivation. All the people who were involved, or knew it was going on but chose to ignore it should be severely punished. Laying all the blame on Williams(although he is a despicable dirt bag) is ridiculous.

I hear that yack makes u get sick in the stomach pretty easy maybe he should stop powdering up his nose so much.

Seriously, as a saints fan I am not really angry with most of the stuff Williams said because playing the game i have heard things like that before. Coaches say stuff to fire you up. It is mostly bravado trying to get you ready to go out and “crack skulls” as one of my coaches used to say.

That said there were 2 things he said that even I a diehard Saints fan was upset with:

1.) The bit about going for the ACL was wrong. I agree with Irving on that. Your never taught at any level to go after a guys knees or even to hit low. Low hits are something that just happens when you are getting beat and have to dive to get a stop. You are taught to hit high wrap up and tackel thru the ball carrier. Never are you out there targeting a guy’s ACL/Knee/anything low. Now in piles there is poking and pulling but again you never target a guys knees to make a tackel. That was disturbing.

2.) I was disturbed that he was encouraging guys to keep banging heads on piles. Contact in piles is allways unpredictable. Poked in eyes getting your nuts grabbed all sorts of fun stuff but it was as if Williams was encouraging the players to keep beating guys heads into the ground while in piles. That is sick and a little over the line. Not to mention it would be pretty obvious and likely result in a personal foul an ejection and a hefty fine. I know they had the bounties but from what I read and hear it wasn’t that much money. Just dumb and plain stupid.

I don’t think he needs to be banned for life like a lot of folks are saying. I think Williams is wrong but there is a lot of overreaction going on out there too. Williams talks crazy that is just his personality. However, even that isn’t an excuse for some of the things he said. I know it was bravado but even bravado can cross the line at some point.

Hey Mike, I’m sure you never heard stuff like that at the “U.”. You’re busted for coke and you sit in judgement of another person … How about SHUTTING UP! You’re a punk …

As for Greg Williams …. Most of what was said it normal football preface hype. HOWEVER, targeting specific players injuries is BS. Shame on you. Finally, if the NFLPA uses Williams instructions, I’d fine them more . You all know better than to go after a mans livelihood!

Everybodies tryna tak the high road not one pets on can tell me when they watch dey home team play and there defense injure a guy r get a big hit there not jumpn out there seats grow dis iis football in america we are violent get over it in win a superbowl cause WHO DAT IS HERE TO STAY!!!!

Williams is wrong….but I want to throw up all over Irving! Man has “Stupid” written all over his face. Wonder if he threw up as he licked tequilla and snorted cocaine off the bellies of hookers! CMON Man , quit giving these people the stage. He should not even be allowed on anything to do with sports TV.

Being a native of New Orleans I’m in no way condoning the actions of former DC Gregg Williams. However, I didn’t hear anyone saying to fire Bill Belichik when they were caught taping. I didn’t hear or see anyone writing comments that Bill Belichik needed to be fired. Roger Goodell is a hypocrite to me, and is using the New Orleans Saints as an example. Football is an interactive sport and players will get hurt one way or another. How can you suspend players, coaches and DC’s on one hand, and the same day you’re using an hour to show tapes of hard hits back from 2007? #HYPOCRISY

First of all Irvin needs to “man up!” This is football! A mans league. If you cant stand the heat well you know the rest of the story. Just shut up, hook your chin strap and go play. Secondly, from the second he opens his mouth and speaks, exactly what college did he go to? L.S.U. perhaps? His ghetto gutter speak gets very very tiring after a very few sentences! You’d swear he flunked out of the 3rd grade or perhaps all the coke up his nose over the decades took it’s toll.

First of all Irvin needs to “man up!” This is football! A mans league. If you cant stand the heat well you know the rest of the story. Just shut up, hook your chin strap and go play. Secondly, from the second he opens his mouth and speaks, exactly what college did he go to? L.S.U. perhaps? His ghetto gutter speak gets very very tiring after a very few sentences! You’d swear he flunked out of the 3rd grade or perhaps all the coke up his nose over the decades took it’s toll.

First of all Irvin needs to “man up!” This is football! A mans league.

Maybe we do need the Ten Commandments on our government buildings. If people can’t tell the difference between playing tough and willfully assaulting another player with the intent to injure them, those people are without conscience.

Plaqnned attacks with the intent to injure are illegal, immoral, mean spirited, and entirely stupid.

Think about how the other players are going to feel and ACT when they play those players who thought it was fine to attempt to end their career or life?

Think about what the NBA players do when they get clobered and there is no foul called. The matter is settled without referees, the players remember.

The other players won’t forget.

Violent? Okay.
With the intent to injure other players? Going to be a very scary rest of his career.

this from one of the dirtiest players in the no fun league….grow up Michelle and act like you did when you played…who can ever forget your”speech” on the podium after the Cowboys won the Superbowl….stop pontificating